MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) announced a significant increase in its high school graduation rate for the 2023-2024 school year.
The district’s overall graduation rate climbed to 80.3%, a notable improvement from the previous year’s 77.9%.
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This positive trend aligns with statewide figures. The Florida Department of Education reported a statewide graduation rate of 89.7%, surpassing the previous year’s 88%.
All seven MCPS high schools reported an improvement in their individual graduation rates. Additionally, the district saw significant progress in two specific student subgroups:
- Exceptional Student Education (ESE): 3.2% increase
- English Language Learners (ELL): 3.4% increase
Graduation Rate Calculation
Graduation rates are calculated based on cohorts of students who enter high school and graduate on-time within four years. The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) reviews and finalizes these rates, which are not subject to appeal. Furthermore, these latest graduation rates will be a key factor in determining school grades for the current school year.
Statewide Trend
Florida’s graduation rate of 89.7% marks a historic high, with the exception of the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years, which were exempt from state requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal Regulations
Federal regulations mandate that each state calculate a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. This calculation includes standard diplomas but excludes GEDs, both regular and adult. The U.S. Department of Education (USED) implemented this method to ensure uniform, accurate, and comparable graduation rates across all states.